How ironic that the greatest success story of the Nick Mwendwa Football Kenya Federation era — Harambee Stars return to the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019 — ultimately led to his regime’s fall from grace.
Circumstances prior to and during the tournament held in June two years ago were the catalyst of investigations by the Kenyan government agencies that concluded with Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed disbanding the federation and appointing a caretaker committee.
The Justice (Rtd) Aaron Ringera-chaired committee was tasked with managing football in the country for six months, beginning November 17, 2021.
Investigations over misappropriation of government funds amounting to Sh250 million, given to help Kenya prepare for their return to the biennial continental football showpiece, had begun in the aftermath of Stars group stage exit.
But this was heightened after Stars’ twin defeats to Mali in the qualifiers of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, which ended Kenya’s footballing interests at next year’s showpiece.
We may never know but things could have turned out differently not only for the national team but also for Mwendwa and his Executive Committee had Stars qualified for AFCON or Qatar.
In a group that included record winners Egypt, free-falling Togo, and unheralded Comoros, Francis Kimanzi’s Stars had begun their bid to qualify for next year's AFCON in Cameroon with an incredible point away to the Pharaohs.
That advantage was quickly eroded in the next game as Stars were held at home to Togo. But it was the solitary point gained in the double-header against minnows Comoros that left Stars hopes of back-to-back appearances at the Nations Cup hanging by a thread.
Stars now needed to beat Egypt in March to keep hopes alive going into the final matchday. Mo Salah and Co. were, however, too street-smart for Jacob Mulee and his charges as they picked up another 1-1 draw to snuff out any lingering hopes Kenya had of being among the 24 nations in Cameroon in January 2022.
With AFCON dreams shattered, up next was Mwendwa’s pet project, steering Kenya to their first-ever World Cup.
Going to Qatar was Mwendwa’s vision when he succeeded Sam Nyamweya as FKF President in 2015.
In the penultimate round, Kenya were put in a manageable group that comprised regional rivals Uganda, Rwanda and Mali, who were in a constant state of transition since their historic qualification to the Fifa World Cup in Germany in 2006.
Back-to-back draws at home to Uganda Cranes and Rwanda in September were not the worst start imaginable on the Road to Qatar.
However, the wheels came off for Stars and Mwendwa after a 5-0 battering by Mali in Morocco was followed by a 1-0 loss at Nyayo Stadium in October to the same opponents.
Kenya’s hopes for a first World Cup were dashed and there was nowhere to hide for Mwendwa. With fans up in arms and calling for heads to roll at Kandanda House, the government had to act.
So it was. Amina called for the Sports Registrar to audit the federation. The subsequent multi-agency report was the whip that the Sports Cabinet Secretary used to beat Mwendwa and the FKF Executive Committee out of their Fifa Goal Project offices, not without dramatic arrests and court processes that left Mwendwa with no option but to take a walk by resigning and handing over the instruments of power to his deputy Doris Petra.
Despite not being on the technical bench as Stars fell short in their dual targets of qualifying for the rescheduled AFCON and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mwendwa had to take some responsibility.
Some of his actions and decisions had a significant sway on how Stars performed in the qualifiers. For instance, with two points from the first two AFCON matches including a veritable point in Egypt, Francis Kimanzi was shown the door midstream.
Though reasons have never been officially given, a very senior official of the disbanded federation revealed plausible causes for his departure. The official then said Kimanzi’s insistence that star striker and current captain Michael Olunga avail himself for a friendly against Zambia threatened squad harmony.
Olunga was chasing the Golden Boot Award with his Kashiwa Reysol side in the Japanese topflight league and wanted to be excused from the build-up game with a promise to avail himself for the double-header against Comoros.
That notwithstanding, an even more baffling decision was made. Mulee, who had not been on the technical bench for years was recalled to help Stars rekindle their AFCON qualification hopes.
His curriculum vitae, however outstanding, would not help Mulee envisage the choppy waters of international football.
In his reign, Stars surrendered a good start to the AFCON run to miss out altogether.
Mulee began the World Cup qualification on a sound footing. Inexplicably, two matches into the Road to Qatar, he walked away on September 15.
If anyone thought Mwendwa would not treat the football lovers to another farce, they were in for another shock.
In true mickey mouse fashion, little-known Turkish-German Engin Firat — with no proven track record — was given the mantle to drive Kenya towards Qatar.
His first official match... a five-nil mauling by Mali that all but eroded the fanciful hopes of a place among world elite nations in Doha next November.
After Firat’s two-month contract ended following a 2-1 win over Rwanda — his first-ever victory as an international coach — he slunk out of the country proud that at least he had lasted longer than Mwendwa.
Mwendwa’s federation had hitched their wagon on Stars success, that the national team failed on strictly sporting merit, there was no reason for them to stay.
With more than one year of lack of competitive action, there is time for the Ringera-led committee and the next elected FKF officeholders to set the national team on a path to sustainable success. They will require goodwill and support from all stakeholders if Stars are to return, at the very least, to the Cup of Nations in 2023.
